Audi Q9 SUV revealed as huge, £100k A8 successor
Notably, the Q9 is the penultimate new model to feature Audi’s current design language. This is being phased out in favour of new design chief Massimo Frascella’s minimalist ‘Radical Next’ ethos, beginning with the Nuvolari supercar. The A2 electric supermini is set to be the final production car to be launched before the switch.
The hulking Q9 is based on the Premium Platform Combustion, which was previously employed by the A6 and Q7. This mounts the engine longitudinally, allowing for the use of a traditional Torsen differential for permanent four-wheel drive, rather than the clutch-pack system found in smaller models.
Initially the Q9 will be offered in two states of tune with the mildly hybridised 3.0-litre diesel V6 that also powers the A6 and new Q7. The entry grade puts out 241bhp and 369lb ft, but it can also be had with 295bhp and 465lb ft. Both are matched with an eight-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox, which channels power to all four wheels.
The line-up is expected to be expanded in due course. A lower-emission plug-in hybrid powertrain would make the Q9 more attractive to business users in Europe and the UK. Meanwhile, a performance-focused SQ9 derivative could use the 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 from the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne – all models that perform well in the Q9’s target markets.
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